


A Cord of Three Strands

by raspberryhunter



Category: The Keltiad - Patricia Kennealy-Morrison
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fix-It, Multi, OT3, OT3 fixes all the things, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-24
Updated: 2017-11-24
Packaged: 2019-02-06 05:02:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12810177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raspberryhunter/pseuds/raspberryhunter
Summary: Aeron, Gwydion, and Roderick find together that a cord of three strands is not easily broken.





	A Cord of Three Strands

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rosefox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosefox/gifts).



> Thank you to my lovely beta!
> 
> rosefox: I was thrilled to see these books nominated/requested — they are the iddy crack of my formative years! I did introduce some queering of Keltia's history/institutions/people, and also (reading that you weren't a huge fan of angst) couldn't resist doing ~~some~~ a lot of fix-it as a result of it. Happy Yuletide!

The dancing and the singing in the great hall of Caer Artos, the training-school of the Fian military-officer candidates of Keltia, was not showing any signs of ending; but Aeron at least was ready to finish the evening. 

Her childhood friends and heroes, Gwydion and Rhodri, had come that day to visit Caer Artos. Both Gwydion and Roderick, as the elder brothers of her foster sisters, had been a presence for her entire life. As a young girl she had hero-worshipped Rhodri, though Gwydion she had seen far less of, but it had been years since she had seen either one.

And now they were here. Roderick was a favorite of Aeron's mother Emer, and there was something of the whole arrangement that smacked to her of being shoved in each other's faces, as she had said earlier to her friends Sabia and Morwen; her mother never tired of pointing out the virtues of various age-mages of her acquaintance, in order to, as she saw it, secure the succession. Had Morwen and Sabia not, when they met, been immediately and obviously pair-bonded to the exclusion of others, Aeron supposed Emer would have considered them as well. 

So although Aeron was not in the least sorry to see Rhodri and Gwydion, she was cranky rather than personable to them at dinner, and again afterwards as the two bard-trained musicians played with and against each other at the ceilidh. At this point the two princes had then made their excuses and absented themselves with their pipe and harp. Aeron debated with herself whether she should stay with the dancing, but she did not feel in the mood to celebrate, and she slipped out to walk back to her rooms.

She turned the corner and heard the sound of two voices raised together in song, a golden tenor and a smooth bass, so perfectly in tune and time that it might have been one will impelling the dual strands of music twining together. Without her consciously willing it, her heart opened to the music and to the two who sang. She realized she had never thought of both Gwydion and Rhodri, together; she did not know why, for now it seemed like the most natural thought in the world. When she thought of them both — the two of them, the tenor and the bass — it was as if her insides turned to water and warmth filled her from the very center of herself. Yes, yes, her body and her spirit both said: Gwydion and Rhodri, Rhodri and Gwydion; this was the dán for which they had come together, in this place and time.

And at the same time she realized also that she knew the music; it was a song Rhodri had written for three voices that he had shown her but had never performed. But there were only two singing.

She started to sing the third part, the soprano descant, her notes like crystal against the tenor and bass, as she came into view of Rhodri and Gwydion. They looked at her, and Rhodri smiled, but neither looked surprised, as if all three of them had known that this must be.

They climbed the stairs together, still singing, moving as one, till they reached the room the two princes were staying in as visitors. They opened the door to her; the song came to its natural end, but it seemed like a continuation of the song as Gwydion's mouth came down on hers, as Rhodri's hand caressed her breast.

She had had her Teltown, her first experience of such intimacy, and that had been a sweet time and a lovely time, but this loving of the three of them together was fierce and powerful in a way that her Teltown had not been, a giving and a taking and a melding together of bodies.

And Aeron had the first faint stirrings within her of what these two would be to her, and she to them, not only for an evening of pleasure, but for their whole lives; and looking at the other two, she saw they felt the same.

*

It was years later when these thoughts were brought to fruition. In these years Gwydion had become Pendragon and Prince of Gwynedd; Roderick had become Prince of Scots; and Aeron herself had become Kin to the Dragon and Tanista, holder of the Silver Branch.

The three of them had come together as one only at times all three had been together, as when Gwydion's father Arawn had died, and they came together to comfort Gwydion in his loss. And furthermore they had always done so with some measure of secrecy, for all three knew that there were constraints to their union that they preferred not to meet head-on until the moment when it must needs be faced.

And yet, all three of them had known in their hearts, and carried that knowledge with them over the years, that this moment would come, that their dán would start to be accomplished.

The three of them stood together stood together outside of Roderick's family's castle Kinloch Arnoch, on a sandy bluff overlooking the sea, watching the waves crash on the sand. Aeron gathered her courage, and spoke: "I would marry you both, you, Gwydion, and you, Rhodri —" facing each in turn — "in a triad-marriage."

Keltic law allowed for twenty sorts of marriage, from as few as two personages to as many as a whole township. The most sacred of these was the triad-marriage, built as it was upon the venerated number of three, echoed in the holy High Danaan trinities of Brigit, Malen, and Dôn; and that of Bran and Lir and Math.

Though she had talked to both Gwydion and Roderick previously in terms that had made clear her plan, they both still looked slightly shaken that the word had finally been spoken. Rhodri said, "As I said to you earlier, Aeron, we should discuss this all together, we three, before we take this step. Of course many are in triad-marriages, but for the Tanista so to do… this would be the first triad on the Throne of Scone since Arthur."

For Arthur Penarvon, Gweniver Pendreic, and Keils Rathen had been a triad marriage, the great triad to which all monarchs of Keltia did homage. Arthur and Gweniver had reigned as joint Ard-Rígh and Ard-Rían, with Keils as First Lord of War.

"Oh aye," Aeron said wrathfully, "and rabbit-hearted folk would have it that since there has not been a triad on the throne for several generations, it will never be so again. Well, my grandmother Aoife did not make a triad-marriage, but not because she did not wish to! It was because she could not choose just two others from among the three Prince-consorts and two Princess-consorts that she eventually took."

"Nevertheless," Gwydion said gently, "rabbit-hearted or no, many folk will still have that impression of it. Have you given any thought to how to reassure them?"

"Nay, I have thought of this," Aeron said, "and furthermore, to my mother the Queen's objections to Gwydion." Rhodri looked amused at this; Gwydion looked somber. "It is only because he is Pendragon," Aeron said; "she thinks that is too much magical ability under the crown, and nothing I say will sway her, not even that Arthur and Gweniver themselves were no mean magicians, and Morgan his sister, next to the throne of Scone as no matter, the greatest sorceress Keltia has ever known…"

"And I," Rhodri said lightly, "as Keils Rathen, with no magical ability whatsoever."

This stopped Aeron in her tracks, and she laughed ruefully. "Rhodri, it is true that it is not for your magical ability that we love you, Gwydion and I; but we love you all the same, and would not have a triad-marriage without you in it."

"I never doubted it, cariad," Rhodri said seriously; it was the first time he had ever used an endearment with her, and Aeron knew it for a sign that he would back her in her plan.

"I had thought, we will first wed in a brehon union," said Aeron, "for a year's time only."

Gwydion nodded, slowly. "A year during which the people will become accustomed to the idea of the three of us together."

Rhodri nodded also. "A year to show Queen Emer that there is no harm, and much good, in having the three of us yoked together."

Aeron smiled at them. "And after that time… we will enter into the sacred and eternal triad-marriage, the three of us." She paused. "And I do have tinnól to mark the occasion…" She rummaged at a soft white leather bag that she had carried with her for the betrothal-gifts, and after a moment triumphantly withdrew two gold torcs, made simply but of consummate worksmanship: a melding of a stylized, flowing version of the wolf of the Aoibhells with the stag of Gwynedd and the unicorn of the Scots.

Rhodri and Gwydion both smiled, receiving the gifts. "Better than a ring, for wielding a sword," Gwydion observed, turning it around and around and watching the light catch it, in wonder.

Rhodri said, "This is indeed a lovely gift, and I hope mine will be found worthy as well." Holding his torc with one hand, he drew forth two small boxes from a tunic-pocket with the other and tossed them at the other two, who caught them easily.

Aeron opened hers to find a small ear-ring, in the shape of a telyn-harp which itself had a tiny wolf carved on it, exquisitely made, with emerald eyes matching the color of Aeron's own. She drew in a breath of delight at both the workmanship and the memories that came back to her, of their first night together; and she saw Gwydion examine his, which bore a stag with blue sapphire eyes, with similar delight.

Gwydion said, "Now I am the last of us to give my tinnól… I hope it meets with favor." He then produced his own boxes, which also had ear-rings, these with tiny, detailed dragons with ruby eyes. Aeron smiled with joy again to see the exquisitely made animals, and saw Rhodri doing the same. 

All three of them came together, silently, holding each other: a pledge, and more than a pledge, that they would be together in all that there was to come.

*

Aeron had had difficulty with her mother the Queen, as she had expected, but she had two arguments on her side: the seeming impermanence of the brehon wedding, and the indubitable fact that she was also marrying Roderick, whom Emer did very much approve of. These carried the day, and the wedding date was set.

As a brehon marriage, it was a very small ceremony, with neither pomp nor celebration. They stood before the brehon, the three of them. Standing near Aeron were Aeron's friends Sabia and Morwen, who when they thought no one was looking would entwine their fingers together; near Roderick, his brother Tarsuinn; and near Gwydion, his sister Arianeira. But that latter did not smile, and looked grim rather than joyful, until Gwydion spoke with her, slightly sharply, and she made more of an effort to be cheerful and speak in a friendly manner.

The contract's promises were read — no vows were spoken at a brehon marriage — and the three of them kissed, almost impersonally. For the ties that bound them were not the ones spoken in this chamber, but were bonds of the spirit, of dán and the future.

The others came around to wish them well, and Aeron and Gwydion and Rhodri embraced and laughed with their friends and family. As they left the brehon chamber, they became enmeshed in the crowd of people coming to and fro the chambers, and Aeron saw a face of someone she had not seen for long and long.

"Duvessa Cantelon?" she asked, disbelieving, and the other turned. Indeed it was Duvessa, schoolmate of Aeron's and Sabine's at the Ban-draoi school of Scartamore, the girl Aeron had thought a friend but who had also, in the end, set geisa on her: never to eat of the red stag, and never to refuse a dish offered her at a feast.

Willing to let these days be gone, Aeron smiled to her and said, "Duvessa, what a surprise! I had not thought to see you here."

Duvessa smiled back, but there was something in the smile that was dark. "I have a place in Prince Roderick's guard, so here I am. Of course, Aeron, we wish to celebrate with you and Roderick and Gwydion. Here, look you —" and there was a definite look of malice in her face as she offered a plate of meat to Aeron. "Eat this; it is a delicacy of my home, specially hunted for you: the meat of the red stag."

Aeron stared at her, stricken, caught between the two geisa Duvessa herself had set upon her, for she must either eat of the red stag, or refuse the dish. _But if I refuse, I break also host-laws, so of the two, eating is the lesser evil…_ Slowly Aeron stretched out her hand for the meat that Duvessa offered.

And then Gwydion was at her side, appearing there as if by wizardry. "Duvessa," he said, smiling at her, though Aeron had not known he knew her name, "how charming of you to offer a wedding-dish to me." And before either woman had a chance to react, fast as a lightning-strike, Gwydion's hand darted between them, seizing the venison from Aeron and popping it into his own mouth.

Both Aeron and Duvessa looked at him in surprise. Gwydion said to Duvessa, low, "Now do I set my own geis on you: never to offer again meat at any feast, even your own, lest it choke you when you meant to choke another." Duvessa looked at him, eyes wide.

By this time, Sabia had seen the byplay and come over. "Duvessa," she said, her voice sharp, "I thought I saw your face darken this company. What do you play at here?"

Duvessa opened her mouth, but Gwydion forestalled her. "It is nothing," Gwydion said; "it is over now."

Sabia looked at them sharply, but as neither Aeron nor Duvessa said anything, she shrugged her shoulders. "All well if no ill done, then. But you, Duvessa — is that venison I see here? Red stag, I would wager." Her eyes narrowed. "I think I see what has happened here. A matter of certain geisa you may have been responsible for, a while back…" For Sabia had also been present at Scartamore when Duvessa had pronounced the geisa. 

Sabia looked at Gwydion and Aeron, and seemed to be reassured by what she found there. "As Gwydion says there is no harm, I will not threaten. But I think you have no place here, and I will take you away." And, suiting action to word, she clamped a hand on Duvessa's shoulder and steered her away from Aeron and her friends.

Gwydion and Aeron watched them go. "Gwydion," said Aeron, low, "how did you know to come?"

"You had told me," Gwydion said, "of how she had set the double geis on you during your days at Scartamore, and I saw her approaching you with the plate of venison, from the other side of the room… I came as quickly as I could."

"And yet," said Aeron quietly, "I fear that I have still broken the geis. For she did offer it to me, and I did not eat that which she offered me."

"The geis she laid on you was this: not to refuse what was offered," Gwydion said to her. "And you did not refuse it. She did not say you had to have eaten what was offered. You are clear and free, Aeronwy, of the evil she attempted to bring upon you. May it redound upon her who wished evil upon you!"

*

And so Aeron, Gwydion, and Roderick, with their company, went to the lakes at Armoy for their wedding-journey. Very fair the waters were in early spring, and hunting and riding were there to be had in abundance. The three of them had no cares but their own pleasures for that five weeks, as had never been the case in their lives full of responsibilities, and bid fair never to be the case again.

More than anything else the three of them loved to take the fleetest horses in the stable and ride to one of the many lovely lakes for a picnic, perhaps a tryst, and then to ride back under the lengthening sun, singing as they went, for in those weeks Roderick composed many songs for the three of them.

And still, after five weeks away from all cares, Aeron, at least, was tired of being idle and ready to go back to her responsibilities. And indeed, fast on the heels of the wedding-journey was to be their first parting as a triad. Before the wedding had been announced, the Ard-rígh Fionnbarr, Queen Emer, and their company, had planned an embassy off-world to Kuniath for a fortnight, with Roderick as the commander of their escort. When the wedding had been announced, the King had offered to exempt Roderick from going, but he would not be kept from his duty.

Now, Rhodri, coming from the hunt and dropping a kiss on Aeron's head before flinging himself down next to her on the bed where she sat reading, said to her and to Gwydion, across the room strumming a telyn, "I have heard more about the journey to Kuniath today. I have been given the _Corwalch_ as the command ship of the Ard-rígh's escort."

Aeron shivered, so much that her whole body shook. Rhodri looked into her eyes, concerned. "What is it, cariad?"

"It is naught," Aeron said, shaking her head. "Only when you said the name _Corwalch_ , I suddenly felt cold all over, as if -- I do not know. As if something terrible were about to happen…"

"Ah, these are just imaginings," Rhodri said, soothingly. "I will be back soon enough, and no harm done."

"Yes," Aeron said, doubtfully, hesitating to speak her worries further, nebulous as they were: "I am sure that is all it is."

Gwydion, who had been plucking out a melody on the telyn all this time, saw this byplay and came over, his brow furrowed. "Perhaps it is; and perhaps not. Aeronwy, is this something that just came upon you, momentarily, or has your mind been troubled of late concerning this journey?"

Had it been anyone but Gwydion and Rhodri together, Aeron would not have said more, but because Aeron trusted them absolutely, she admitted, "I have long had an uneasy feeling on this matter."

"I would listen to that feeling," Gwydion said. "At least, enough to search for more data that might support it…" Gwydion looked at them. "Rhodri, what if Aeron were to find and give you all the secure records that exist, concerning the route to Kuniath?"

Aeron looked questioningly at the other two. "What purpose would that serve?"

Rhodri looked slightly embarrassed; it was Gwydion who explained. "Rhodri here says always that he has no head nor proclivity for politics, being a chaunter only — and I will admit that perhaps he is not the best for subtle negotiations — but yet, more than a queen or a Pendragon has he been trained in patterns, in storytelling, and when there is a situation that seems to make no sense, where a story must be drawn out, he is the one to do it."

"Ah," said Aeron. "Yes, I will get access to those records for you, Rhodri."

*

Rhodri had been working at the viewscreen for a number of hours. Aeron had watched him for a while, but eventually had tired of it and gone to do other things. Roderick still remained, frowning at the screen as if by sheer will sense could be made of it, and sometimes moving his fingers in strange arcane patterns on the screen.

Then the others heard Rhodri slam his fist down, with a muffled yell and a curse: " _Anam Mhaois_! Moses' soul, _what_!" They hurried back to the room, for this was most unlike Roderick, and found him staring, eyes wide, at a configuration of starships and planets on the viewscreen. He swung to face them.

"Look you," Rhodri said, gesturing at the viewscreen. "I tell you now that I see a pattern in this, a story in this, and it is an ill one indeed."

He pointed. "Look here; our route takes us near Bellator, which is a Fomorian garrison. Not too near, you must understand, else that path would not have been chosen."

"Then I do not understand," Gwydion said, "what the danger is."

Rhodri nodded. "Here is where there is some measure of finesse. See the force amassed at Bellator, that has been built up for quite some time; and here again — " he pointed — "this message that our security system intercepted from Fomor, saying that more forces are on the way. Now see where these forces could go — this is the storytelling — during the time we are traveling." His arm described an arc, and a matching arc of light drew over the viewscreen.

Gwydion and Aeron looked with dawning horror. "They could pick off our ships, easily," said Aeron. "With no warning, or very little."

Gwydion frowned. "But this is the basest treachery… surely they would never do such a thing."

Rhodri said unhappily, "Fifty years ago, you would be right. But — oh, I sense a tale there; I do not know what it is, but there is something dark."

"Yes," Aeron said; "I too have sensed that there is more enmity between Fomor and Keltia of late than there was in my great-grandmother's time; but I also do not know what it is." She shook her head. "Any road, I will contact my father the King and tell him of this, and counsel him with the utmost urgency to change his plan in all secrecy." She was gone at once.

*

"You were right in every particular, Rhodri," Aeron said, many days later, as the three of them lay tangled together at the end of a long day.

Rhodri raised his head a little and smiled lazily at her. "Am I not always?" Gwydion cuffed him lightly, and he laughed. "So, Aeron, what have I done so excellently?"

"Your analysis of Bellator," Aeron said frankly. "We were able to intercept more messages from Fomor, and they confirmed what you had guessed." Roderick had not gone with the embassy after all; neither had Emer. The Ard-rígh had still gone, but in a smaller, more secret fleet, and on a different route that went nowhere near any Fomorian space.

She smiled, but there was a grim edge to the smile. "They were much exercised that we sent a smaller force on a different route, and indeed that was how we were able to intercept the messages; Bres was so furious that he sent messages in cleartext, to the great chagrin of his security officers… It fills me with a great misgiving."

"Do you then still See some further threat?" Gwydion said.

"Nay." Aeron shook her head. "Oh, Bres will come against us again another day, I am sure of it; but for now he only licks his wounds. It is something else I think of… It was because all three of us were together, that day, that Rhodri was able to uncover the plot. If not, Bres would surely have succeeded. He would have slain both my parents, and all who went with them, Rhodri as well, with no warning and no defense… I think of that pathway of fate, that Aeron-who-might-have-been, and my blood runs cold."

Gwydion said, taking Aeron and Rhodri both in his arms, "It was not your dán to have your parents and your marriage-partner taken from you, but for all this to be yours still."

"Cariad," said Rhodri, his lips against Aeron's hair, his hand gripping Gwydion's, "it is no matter now, for we are all together, as we were meant to be."

And Aeron put the matter out of her head with finality.


End file.
